Plagued by lack of teachers, over 10,000 students from elementary to higher secondary levels in Longding district staged protests at their respective schools, demanding the posting of required teachers at all schools. The schools have already reopened, but without teachers – even as the government carries out mass transfers and postings of teachers. If schools are without teachers, the government should already know it is not doing enough.
According to the Longding District Students’ Union, the district currently has around 290 teachers, with a shortfall of 196 teachers.
The union has demanded posting of three principals, four vice principals, four headmasters, 19 PGTs, 64 TGTs (secondary), 48 TGTs (elementary), and 54 PRTs.
The government should heed the demands of the students, which are all legitimate.
A special recruitment drive can be initiated for the district if the government is not successful in implementing its much-talked-about quality school education policy.
It can only begin with a fair teacher deployment policy, which is also the basic demand of the students.